Girls Camp

Heber Valley Girls Camp 2009

Our theme at stake girls camp this year was GROWING IN UNITY.

Each ward was to pick something growing. Our ward picked the Lotus Flower.

THE LOTUS FLOWER

The lotus flower 
rises from the mud, 
untouched and clean, 
to open into   
a magnificent flower 
high in the air.  
The life cycle, stature, and
perfection of the lotus is 
perhaps the reason that it 
represents purity peace, 
transcendence, enlightenment, 
rebirth, beauty, and   
fertility.  The flower opens 
with the light of the sun 
and closes with the darkness.  
Each day is a new life, a new 
rebirth for the flower.    
The life cycle of the lotus, 
both daily and seasonal, 
evoke how the human spirit unfolds: 
from humble beginnings in the 
mud to blossoming of the soul 
in ether and light.  This flower 
is found in Asia and we are able 
to expand on this theme for the 
week with our cheers and our 
songs, etc.  I am thankful to
Darcie Erickson and Charlotte Charles 
(our camp directors) for their thoughtful 
preparations for our girls and for 
our week at camp.

Charlotte brought the hats and Darcie taught the girls how to make an origami lotus flower. We enjoyed chocolate dipped fortune cookies made with special fortunes about our theme or our singing trees song. We had paper lanterns that the girls painted with chinese characters that had meanings of light, peace, and love. We had fans and wrote secret messages on the backs of them and we spoke of properness and virtue. We had a zen garden out in front of our cabin that the girls would redesign when they felt like it. Most campers walking by our cabin also raked in the garden. We did yoga each night and then read from the scriptures. It was so well thought out and I loved how everything came together. The decorations were so cute and Charlotte even brought a water feature and gong for the front entry way.

The stake gave great dessert devotionals and Sister Cook came and spoke to us about virtue. I loved the ropes course and MY time at the lake. I ran every morning - it was very peaceful. We enjoyed a thunder storm and ended with a great testimony meeting and fantastic dinner by Sister Barnes. Darcie and Charlotte had divided up all the meals and so the preparations were shared by many. It really allowed us, as leaders, to watch over our girls and spend quality time with them. The service project was really hard work. I was very impressed at how the girls just got in there and worked without complaining and it was HOT!.

LOTUS FOR LIFE!